Principal Scientific Officer - Civil Engineering

The University of Queensland; Brisbane; On-site; AUD 107,000 - 116,000; Full time

Job summary

The University of Queensland is seeking a Principal Scientific Officer to join the School of Civil Engineering at St Lucia Campus, Brisbane. You will lead technical and experimental design efforts across laboratories, combining hands-on fabrication with design work using CAD tools and data analysis to solve complex engineering problems.

With a degree in civil or mechanical engineering and several years in a lab or workshop setting, you will mentor staff and students, engage with industry

Qualifications

• Degree in civil engineering or mechanical engineering with at least four (4) years of subsequent relevant experience in a laboratory/workshop environment.
• CAD capability to produce medium complexity design drawings (e.g., SolidWorks or Autodesk Inventor).
• Experience designing and fabricating experimental setups, including the ability to build, modify and maintain test rigs and experimental apparatus.
• Familiarity with control systems, electronics and instrumentation with demonstrated ability to quickly learn new systems and instrumentation.
• Knowledge and experience with data acquisition and measurement systems.
• Current RPEQ is desirable.
• Forklift and Crane licenses are desirable.

Responsibilities

• Providing technical leadership and experimental design across the School of Civil Engineering laboratories using your mechanical engineering and/or structural engineering expertise to design testing programs, develop complex testing methodologies and solve technical issues.
• Engaging with external clients, industry partners, academic staff, HDRs and coursework thesis students to assist with project design, fabrication and testing.
• Participate in the school’s external testing services, including the client liaison, design and analysis job costing, the provision of testing services, and reporting.
• Assist with the ongoing optimisation and maintenance of the laboratory equipment and provide advice on upgrades and emerging technologies.
• Develop and review risk assessments (RAs) and standard operating procedures (SoPs), and ensuring compliance with quality, regulatory and safety protocols in accordance with Commonwealth, State and University laws, policies and procedures.

Skills

CAD capability

Experimental design

Data acquisition

Laboratory experience

Instrumentation

Education

Civil/Mechanical Eng

RPEQ desirable

Tools

SolidWorks

Autodesk Inventor

Job description

• School of Civil Engineering – Faculty of EAIT
• Full-time (100%), Permanent position
• Full-time equivalent base salary will be in the range $106,709 - $116,198 + 17% super (HEW Level 7)
• Visa sponsorship is not available for this position
• Based at our St Lucia Campus - Brisbane

About This Opportunity

Do you have a degree in either civil engineering or mechanical engineering and looking for the next step in your career? You might want to consider joining our team as the Principal Scientific Officer in UQ’s School of Civil Engineering.

In this role, it is important to use innovation solutions, think outside the box, problem solve technical challenges and don’t mind getting your hands dirty! You will support our technical staff and a variety of students and clients with experimental design problems. There is a good 50-50 balance of working in the lab and being hands-on, as well as using your computer skills for design drawings.

Key Responsibilities Will Include

• Providing technical leadership and experimental design across the School of Civil Engineering laboratories using your mechanical engineering and/or structural engineering expertise to design testing programs, develop complex testing methodologies and solve technical issues.
• Engaging with external clients, industry partners, academic staff, HDRs and coursework thesis students to assist with project design, fabrication and testing.
• Participate in the school’s external testing services, including the client liaison, design and analysis job costing, the provision of testing services, and reporting.
• Assist with the ongoing optimisation and maintenance of the laboratory equipment and provide advice on upgrades and emerging technologies.
• Develop and review risk assessments (RAs) and standard operating procedures (SoPs), and ensuring compliance with quality, regulatory and safety protocols in accordance with Commonwealth, State and University laws, policies and procedures.

About You

• Completion of a relevant degree in civil engineering or mechanical engineering with at least four (4) years of subsequent relevant experience in a laboratory/workshop environment, or an equivalent combination of extensive experience and/or education/training in the areas of civil engineering or mechanical engineering.
• CAD capability (e.g. SolidWorks or Autodesk Inventor) to produce medium complexity design drawings.
• Experience designing and fabricating experimental setups, including the ability to build, modify and maintain test rigs and experimental apparatus.
• Demonstrated familiarity working with control systems, electronics and instrumentation with demonstrated ability to quickly learn new systems and instrumentation.
• Demonstrated knowledge and experience working with data acquisition and measurement systems.
• Current RPEQ is desirable.
• Forklift and Crane licenses are desirable.

About UQ

As part of the UQ community, you’ll have the opportunity to work alongside the brightest minds, who have joined us from all over the world, working together to create a better world. Join a community where excellence is at the core of our culture, contributions are valued and a range of benefits and rewards are available.

Enjoy up to 26 weeks paid parental and primary care leave, 17% super, 17.5% leave loading, flexible working options, health and wellbeing programs, a heavily discounted Study for Staff program, on‑campus childcare, affordable parking, and salary packaging.

Other Information

Pre-employment checks may include: verification of the right to work in Australia and qualifications checks. This may also include checks relating to gender-based violence matters or other integrity and conduct requirements.

You must maintain unrestricted work rights in Australia for the duration of this appointment to apply. Employer sponsored work rights are not available for this appointment.

We're dedicated to equity, diversity, and inclusion. We recognise that career pathways and opportunities differ and encourage applications from candidates who may not meet every criteria but can demonstrate their potential relative to opportunity. We’re also happy to support any accessibility needs throughout the recruitment process. Just let us know how we can help by emailing [e-mail] or calling [phone].

Applications close Sunday 22 November 2026 at 11.00pm AEST (R-70801). Please note that interviews will likely occur in the week of 7th December 2026.